


Forbidden Fruit

by MrProphet



Category: Farscape
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-22 23:16:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10707192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrProphet/pseuds/MrProphet





	Forbidden Fruit

“Look at this,” Officer Cayhn said in disgust. “Food growing on frelling  _trees_.”

“Doesn’t our food grow on trees?” sub-officer Sun asked.

“Sure, but before we eat anything we clean it, sterilise it,  _process_  it. These people, these savages, they just pick this dren right off the trees and eat it there and then. The conscripts should thank us for getting them the frell out of this cesspit. Speaking of which, I’d better check the line-up and make sure Barsk isn’t conscripting the dead beats and the dead again. Make a sweep of the orchard and make sure there aren’t any likely lads and lasses hiding out in the trees.”

Aeryn Sun saluted. “Yes, sir.” She headed out to the far end of the orchard, pulse rifle held loose but ready; there was little danger on a farming world like this, but a careless soldier was a dead soldier.

The sun beat down on the orchard and a rich, sweet smell came off the fruit which hung heavy on the trees.

On an impulse, Aeryn reached up and plucked one of the fruit; it dropped easily into her hand, as though it wanted to be eaten. She looked around her, then opened up her visor, lifted the fruit to her lips and took a bite.

Juice exploded in her mouth and dribbled down her chin; it was sweeter than anything she had ever tasted. Processed food just did not compare.

A twig snapped, she spun around with her rifle raised; the fruit fell to the floor. A young girl looked down from the branches of a tree. She was no more than nine cycles old, long-limbed and athletic; prime recruitment material.

Aeryn lifted her hand to her mouth and licked the sweet juice from her fingers. She lowered her rifle with her other hand.

“Pass me another of those,” Aeryn said. 

The girl plucked another fruit from her tree and tossed it to Aeryn. Aeryn caught it and took a bite, more carefully this time, so that no more juice ran down her chin.

“I’m going to stand over there and finish this,” Aeryn said, “then I’m going to take you over to the recruiting line.” She sauntered away from the tree, chewing thoughtfully, while the girl slipped down from the branches and hared away through the orchard.


End file.
